My German lover : Part 9

Then Paul asked madame Mercier to bring him the list of all the empty flats the company had on rent at the moment in Paris.

Later, madame Mercier came back with the list, and Paul went through it...

"Um... madame Mercier... What about this flat, on Avenue d'Iéna?"

"Oh! That flat in located in a very nice building, Sir. It's very expensive..."

"I see... And what about that flat on rue Lapérouse?"

"Nice building too... But it's less expensive..." The flat has five rooms... two bedrooms... and as it says there on your list, it's furnished..."

"Yes, I see... Please madame Mercier, take that flat off the list. We'll rent it to two of my cousins that are in Paris for a while... I'll give you the details, so you can prepare the lease... Do you think it could be ready by the end of the day?"

"Absolutely Sir!"

"Thank you, madame Mercier... You are so helpful...".

Later, Paul received another call from Maître Langlois... The Attorney told Paul he had made all the necessary arrangements so that he would have access to direct phone lines to Berlin as well as Geneva... It would take longer to obtain a line to New-York, but they would get one as soon as possible! The direct lines would also be accessible from Paul's study at the mansion on Avenue Foch, the Attorney said..."

The Attorney had something else he wanted to tell Paul...

The Attorney explained the new German Ambassador in Paris, Herr Abetz, was trowing a big party at the German Embassy next week, to entertain some French businessmen... and Paul had been invited... The Attorney explained Herr Abetz had heard about Paul, being so young and being at the head of such a big company... and wanted to meet with him... That would also be a good occasion for Paul to make some contacts, should he still want to make some investments in Germany, the Attorney explained...

Yes, Paul would attend the party, he told Maître Langlois... but he was not too happy about that. The Attorney answered that, anyway, the Germans were here, and there was nothing Paul could do to change that! If Paul wanted to stay in business, there was no way he could avoid them... Paul had to agree to that, but nevertheless, he was less than happy having to go to that damn party...

After his talk with Maître Langlois, Paul was eager to see if the direct phone line to Geneva was working... So he tried it and indeed, it was working since a few seconds later, he had the company's Director in geneva at the end of the line...

"Bonjour monsieur de Chartrand... comment allez-vous?" (Good day Mr de Chartrand, how are you?)

"Oh, I'm fine, and you? I've received a long message from your father, yesterday... I understand that, from now on, I shall report to you..."

"I'm fine monsieur de Chartrand... and yes, I now assume control over the company's business, not only in France, but also in Switzerland..."

"Yes, I know... I'm glad to see the company is back to business... you know..."

"Yes...", Paul replied.

Both Paul and Mr de Chartrand were wise enough not to say too much over the phone, knowing the Germans were probably listening...

"As soon as I can, I'll go to Geneva, to meet with you, monsieur de Chartrand, so we can discuss business..."

"Oh, I would like that very much..."

"Yes... But in the meantime, I would ask you to open two new bank accounts in Geneva. I'll give you the details..."

Paul gave Mr de Chartrand Will's name as well as Lutz's name. On Will's new account, Paul transfered a sizable amount of Swiss Francs, and a smaller amount on Lutz's new account...

"That's quite a lot of money, Sir..." the Director in Geneva said...

"Yes, I know... Do we have a problem with that?"

"Not at all... but..."

"Good! monsieur de Chartrand... Good!", Paul answered... "I understand you will send me a telegram to confirm the transferes... as soon as possible..."

"Of course, monsieur de Brion... It will be done today...".

"Good... Thank you monsieur de Chartrand... I'm sure it's going to be a pleasure doing business with you... I look forward meeting you..."

"Yes Sir... Have a good day Sir!".

"Thank you... and have a good day too...".

Paul hanged the phone and smiled to himself... Yeah! He would give a good raise to his Director in Geneva... to make sure he had that man inside his pocket too, just like he had done with madame Mercier...

Later on, madame Mercier told him he had a call from a gentleman named Guillaume Harbourg... Paul smiled, then took the call...

"Hi! I was thinking about you...", Paul said.

"Me too", Will replied... "I can't talk to you very long... but Lutz and I could meet you tomorrow afternoon, at the Registrar..."

"Fine with me... at what time?"

"At two... would it be okay?"

"No problem... I'll meet you there...", Paul answered.

"Fine... L.Y. ..."

"Yeah, L.Y., and L.O.K.", Paul replied, grinning...

Paul hanged the phone. He had agreed with Will that on the phone, or elsewhere for that matter, "L.Y." would mean "Love You"... and "L.O.K." would mean "Lots Of Kisses"...

Now Paul was satisfied with his day: The pieces of his plans were starting to fall into place, and he smiled thinking about the surprises he had for Will and Lutz...

Later, madame Mercier came back with the new lease, and with a note they had received from the Komandantur...

"I'm not sure you'll be happy with that note", madame Mercier told Paul...

Paul took the note and read it.

"SHIT" !!!!, Paul exclaimed... "Oh... I'm sorry madame Mercier..."

"No problem... I understand... Will that be all for today Sir... I'm about to leave now, so if..."

"Yes... That will be all for today madame Mercier... Thank you, and have a good evening...", Paul answered.

As madame Mercier left, Paul read the note for the second time. It said the Germans had unilaterally decided that, from now on, the Reichsmark would be worth twenty French Francs... so it would take only five Pfennigs to buy one French Franc! Paul couldn't believe it! That was catastrophic... It meant the Germans would be able to buy all they wanted in France, at a very, very low price...

Paul suddenly smiled, thinking about a joke he had heard that morning, concerning the plates on the German army vehicules, which bore the letters "WH" meaning "Wehrmacht Herr", to indicate they were with the German army... As the joke went, when those vehicules were coming into France, the letters "WH" meant "Wir Holen" (we seek...), and when those vehicules were going back to Germany, they meant "Wir Haben" (we found...).

Yes, Paul thought, the Reich will take all it can take from France... It's going to be a real plunder, Paul thought. Thank God all of this didn't affect the value of the Swiss Franc... Fuck with Das Dritte Reich, Paul said to himself in German: At least, thanks to my German lessons, I can swear in German now!

Paul left the office, and went back to his home on Avenue Foch. He had supper all alone in the vast dining-room, and again, he felt miserable... He missed Will so much...

So he decided to go through the list of new words his German teacher had given to him, and after that, he went to his father's study... HIS STUDY, from now on, he thought! There, he listen to Radio Berlin, so that his ear could get used to the new language he was quickly learning...

After that, he went to bed, thinking about Will...

When he woke up on Friday morning, he rushed through a quick shower and a small breakfast, then went to the Head office, where he had a meeting with Maître Langlois...

The Attorney gave him a list of all his Grandma's assets and, as Paul went through the list, his eyes becaume as wide as two big saucers... He looked at the Attorney and said:

"I didn't know she was that rich..."

"Yes... She was... Now, please sign all the papers here, so I can make all the necessary transfers... Oh, and here are the keys to your new Château... I've made sure that the staff there will keep it in good condition... But you may decide to sell it...", the Attorney said...

"No Maître Langlois... I'm going to keep it... I'm sure that's what my Grandma would have wanted me to do..."

"Yes... That's what she hoped... She told me so at the time...".

After that, they talked about madame de Brion's funerals... and agreed that, under the circumstances, the ceremony would be very simple and very private. Maître Langlois would make all the necessary arrangements, and Paul thanked him for that...

After the Attorney had left, Paul went through the list of assets his Grandma had bestowed upon him... Again, he couldn't believe it! He would have to go to the Château as soon as possible... to make sure the staff there was okay, and he would have to get in touch with his father, to let him know about the investments he now had in the United-Sates, so his father could manage them from New-York...

Paul had a quick dinner, then went to the Registrar's office, to meet with Will and Lutz, as they had agreed to...

Indeed, at two o'clock, he met them and all the papers were signed. Paul gave the keys to Will and Lutz, then said:

"So, each of you is the new owner of a car, waiting for you in our underground garage..."

"Again Paul... I don't know how to thank you", Will said, as Lutz agreed.

"Oh... but that's not all... Here: Sign this document", Paul said, as he gave Will and Lutz the new lease...

"What's that?", Will asked...

"You are now my new tenants: You got yourself a new flat, not too far from where I live... It's located on rue Lapérouse... Now of course, only Lutz will live there... since you, Will, will move in with me on Avenue Foch! But each day, you'll have to go to the flat to get changed, you know... and the flat will also be your permanent address here in Paris, although you won't really live there... I guess Lutz will be very happy to have that flat all to himself"!, Paul said, laughing...

"Are you kidding?", both Will and Lutz said... "But I can't afford such a flat, you know...", Lutz added...

"Don't worry, it won't cost you one single Reichsmark... I took care of everything... Oh, but Lutz? You do owe me one Reichsmark... and you too, Will...", Paul said, grinning...

"Huh?", they both replied...

"For the cars!!!", Paul answered, laughing his heart out...

"Shit!", Will exclaimed... "I just can't believe it... Are you sure about that... me, moving in with you... on Avenue Foch? ... I mean..."

"That's what I want, Will... Don't you trust me?", Paul asked...

"Yes... I do... but I mean..."

"Unless you don't want to move in with me... of course... After all, you're a free man Will...", Paul said.

"No! I'm your Kriegsgefangener... I told you so...", Will answered, laughing...

"His prisoner of war?", Lutz asked, laughing...

"Yeah...", Will replied, laughing too... "And I love it!"

"Well guys... when can you move?", Paul asked...

"We could move next Sunday... That's the day we were suppose to move out of Hôtel Meurice to our new barrack...", Will answered.

"Can you come over to my place, Saturday night, and take the cars?", Paul asked Will and Lutz... "That would make your moving easier, for both of you...".

"Yeah, that could be arranged...", Will answered... "Don't you think Lutz?"

"Sure... no problem!"

"Now we've got to go back Lutz...", Will said to him. And, looking at Paul, Will said: I'll call you tomorrow, and in the meantime, I'll try to find a way to thank you for all what you did..."

"Me too", Lutz said, smiling... "But I'm sure it's going to be different from what I think Will as in mind...", he added, laughing...